Similar species: Spiranthes ochroleuca is most similar to S. cernua, but the flowers of that species are more clear white, the flowers are usually somewhat nodding, the lip petal is more strongly downward pointing, and the calli at the base of the lip are smaller (0.5 - 1.2 mm).

Flowering: August

Habitat and ecology: Extremely rare, only observed in Berrien County, MI in a moist, open, sandy, mining pit.

Occurence in the Chicago region: native

Notes: What was once called Spiranthes x steigeri, a proposed hybrid of S. cernua and S. romanzoffiana, was shown by Catling (1984) to actually be S. ochroleuca. Hybrids of S. ochroleuca and the more northern S. casei are named S. x borealis P. M. Brown.